Folding umbrella.



PA-TENTED FEB. 25, 1908.

W. THEDORF.

FGLDING UMBRELLA.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 1a, 1907.

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A TTORNEYS in member 1 being WILLIAM THEDORF, OF ST. VINCENT, MINNESOTA.

FOLDING UIMB-RELLA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1908.

Application filed May 18. 1907. Serial No. 5374.392.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILL AM THEDORF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Vincent, in the county of Kittson and- State of Minnesota, have invented a new and Improved Folding Umbrella, of which the following is a full. clear, and exact description.

This invention is an improvement in folding umbrellas, and its object is to provide a device of this nature constructed with a telescoping stafi, the telescoping members of which are adapted to be positively retained in extended and contracted relations by a sectional nut carried by the inner member, this member also carrying the ribs ofthe umbrella, each of which is composed. of two sections slidably connected together, with a spring catch for connect the two sections of each rib when the umbre a is outstretched.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

F'gure 1 is a fragmentary view of the umbrella when outstretched; Fig. 2 is a view of the. umbrella when folded, partly in central, vertical section; Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one end of one of the rib sections; Fig. 4 is a plan of a blank from which the rib section shown in Fig.- 3 is made; Fig.5 is a plan of a blank from which the rib section shown in Fig. .6 is made; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one end of a rib section which is slidably' connected to the rib section shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a view of a sectional nut and a pin in threaded engagement therewith, which is carriedbythe inner member of the staff only one-half of the nut being shown; Fig.8 is an inner face view of one-half of the nut shown inpFig/7, the spring clip which connects the two halves of the nut together being removed. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the spring clip which connects the two halves of the sectional nut together; Fig. 10 is a section on the line 1010 of Fi 7 looking in the direction of the arrows; an Fig. 11 is a view of the ferrule end of the staff, partly in central vertical section:

The invention in its preferredembodiment includes-a staff composed of an outer tubular member 1 within-which telescopes an inner tubular member 2, the lower end of the tubusecured in any suitable manner to the usual handle 3, and its upper end. is of contracted diameter, as clearly shown lnFig. .2, to closely fit the member 2,

the latter being of such diameter as to leave an annular space between it and the bore of the member 1. The lower or inner end of the tubular member 2 has secured therein in any suitable manner a pin or shaft 4 constructed with a ,collar 5 which provides it with a shoulder against which the tubular member 2 abuts, the diameter of said collar being such as to snugly fit the bore of the member 1, thereby giving a bearing to the member 2 at two points. The pin 4 is extended beyond the collar 5, where it is of conical form and in threaded engagement with a sectional nut 6, said nut being preferably made in two halves, with a counter bored portion at the lower end, which receives a spring cli 7 shown in detail in F 9, the arms of sai clip being each secured to one-half of the nut and serving the double purpose of keeping the sections of the nut in proper relative position and preventing the same from turning with the threaded end of the in 4 when the handle of the umbrella is revo ved to expand 'the nut in diameter. After the pin and nut have been assembled, the lower indicated at 8, to prevent the complete separation of these parts should the pin be entirely screwed from the nut.

The topextremity of the inner tubular member 2 of the stafl is threaded to detachably receive a ferrule 9 shown in detail in Fig. 11, and has fixed adjacent thereto the usual crown or collar 10, between which the ribs are pivotally attached, each rib in the present construction consisting of an inner and an outer section 11 and 12 respectively, which are slidably connected together the outer section fitting within the inner section. Both the sections of eachrib are 'made U-shaped in cross section, the innersection 11 being constructed from a sheet metal blank 11* shown in'detail in Fig. 5.. The end of this blank which forms that end extendedend is rlveted over, as

with

of the rib sect-ion connecting the outer section 12, is provided with tabs l3 andprojections 14*,sa1d tabs and projections being arranged at the opposite sides of the blank with the projections at the inside of the tabs. At one side of the blank the tab andprrijection are. of diminished length, the metal being utilized to form an 15* which is attached to extended tongue this tab at one corner only. In shaping the blank 11 to neath the stop 14; l

form the rib 11; it is bent, U-shaped longitudinally and the tabs 13 and projections 14 are inwardly-turned to bridge the top of the rib, the latter forming, respectively, a keeper 13 and a stop 14, as shown in Fig. 6. The tongue 15f is folded on top of the keeper 13 and isshaped to providea spring catch 15, the extreme end of which passes under- The outer section 12 of each rib is'constructed from a blank 12 shown in Fig. 4, and is provided at-its innerend with tabs 16, rojections17 and projectionsr18 all of W ch are arranged at both sides of the blank with the tabs located intermediate the rojections. In shaping the-blank 12 to orm the rib 12, as shown in Fig. 3, as it is bent into U-shape longitudinally-the tabs 16? are folded at the outside to provide flanges 16, the projections 17" being turned upwardly, and spaced apart a slight distance to provide ears 17 and the projections 18? are-turned toward each other to bridge, the space inythe-rib and provide a keeper 18.-

In assembling thesectionsof the ribs, the outer sections 12 are telescoped Within the inner sections llwith the flanges 16 of the outer sections embracing the exterior of the inner sections and the keepers 13 of. the inner sections engaging the top edges of the outer sections. It is apparent from this construction and arrangement that when the ribsare extended by. separating the outer and inner sections,;the stop 14 will contact with the keeper 18 as the catch 15 engages with the latter'and thus prevent the further relative movement'ofjthe-sections and lock them securely'together.

Between the ears 17 of each of the outer rib sections 12 is pivotally attached a stretcher 19, the inner end of which'is pivoted to a runner 2O slidable upon the um brella staff, and is provided with a -springressedcatch 21 adapted to engage in open- Inge formed in ,the members 1 and 2, suit ab y arranged to retain the umbrella in outstretched and in folded osition,

Assumin the umbrel a to be folded as shown inig. 2, it is extended by grasping the handle 3 with the righthand and the upper end or tubular member 2 of the stafi with the left, and separating them until the collar 5 contacts with the contracted portion of the tubular member 1. By now giving the handie 3 a few turns relatively tothe tubular member 2 of the-staff in a directionto thread the pin-4 within the sectional nut 6, the lat ter 18 e anded and positively clamps the two meni ers of the staff together; The runner 20 is then drawn dowrnwhich acts to slide the outer sections 12 of the ribs'outwardly and extend the same until the catches 15 automatically engage with the keepers 18.

The umbrella can then be raised in the ordinary manner.

In folding the umbrella after it islowered the runner is drawn down as far as possible with one hand and the other hand is grasped about the ribs at the joints, the pressure ap plied operating to disengage the catches 15 from the keepers 18. 011 now forcing up the runner, the rib sections are'telescoped one The length of the staff may be further thread the pin 4 Within the sectional nut.

ocntracted, if desired, by un'screwingthe ferrule 9. v

The invention as shown and described, al-

though being the preferred practical embodiment of my improved umbrella, is neverthe less susce tible of numerous modifications falling wit in the scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a folding umbrella, a staff composed of a" plurality of telescoping tubular mem bers, anut carried by one of said members comprising a plurality of sections and adapt ed to be expanded to clamp said members togather, and a resilient devlce for holding said sections against rotation relative to the tubular member in which they are located.

2. In a folding umbrella, a staii composed of an outer tubular member with an irmer tubular member telescoped therein, a nut composed of a-plurality of sections slidable within the outer member, a comically-thread: ed device carried b the inner tubular member adapted to be t ireaded into the sections, of the nut, and a resilient device for forcing said sections of the nut into substantial contact .With the outer tubular member, for the purpose described.

3. In a folding umbrella, a rib/composed of two sections, each section being U-sha ed in cross section, and one of said sections eing formed with a .keeper and outwardly turned flanges embracing the other section, and the other section being formed with a stop,.a keeper for engaging the edges of the first-named section, and a spring catch passing under the stop, adapted to engage with said keeperand lock said sections together i when the rib is extended.

keeper adapted to engage said catch. when tions telescoped one within the other; one of said sections having a spring catch and provided with an adjacent keeper for engaging- .the edges of the other section, and the other section having OHtWBJdlY-tllllled flanges in embrace with the first-namedisection. and provided with an adj acent keeper adapted to engage with said spring catch when the rib sections areextended.

6. In afol-ding' umbrella, a rib section substantially U-shaped in cross section having, fian es turned outwardly to substantially conform tothe outside thereof :and' s' aced therefrom and provided-with a keeper ridgin'g the space theieacrossadjacent to sand flanges and a second rib v section embraced 'sprmg catch an by said flanges and having means to engage with said keeper and lock the rib sections to gether.

7. In stantially U-shaped in cross section and havin'g a spring catch arranged .over the open Eortionthereoft" and provided with a keeper ridging the s ace thereacross over said a second rib section having means adapted :to be engagektl by -said catch and lock the rib sections together.

a folding umbrella, a rib section sub- In testimony whereof Ihaye signed my name to this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses, I Y WEJLIAM'THEDORR- Witnesses v -ELMER Omfnnom 7 WILLIAM DEAQON. 

